Protein head-to-heads · July 2026
Canned tuna (in water) vs Vital wheat gluten: which protein is cheaper?
USDA macros joined to current US grocery prices, reduced to the two numbers that decide it: dollars per gram of protein, and protein per calorie.
Vital wheat gluten is 3.2x cheaper per gram of protein ($0.013/g vs $0.042/g), while Canned tuna (in water) is the leaner choice at 22.4 g protein per 100 kcal against 20.3 g. Budget favours one, a calorie cap favours the other.
| Food | $/g protein | 30 g protein costs | You need | kcal that come with it | Protein/100 kcal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canned tuna (in water) | $0.042 | $1.27 | 115 g | 134 kcal | 22.4 g |
| Vital wheat gluten | $0.013 | $0.40 | 40 g | 148 kcal | 20.3 g |
Full macros, per serving
| Food (per serving) | Price | kcal | Protein | Carbs | Fat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canned tuna (in water) (100 g) | $1.10 | 116 | 26 g | 0 g | 1 g |
| Vital wheat gluten (100 g) | $1.00 | 370 | 75.2 g | 13.8 g | 1.9 g |
A week of protein from each
Hitting a common 100 g/day protein target from vital wheat gluten alone costs $9.31 a week; from canned tuna (in water) alone, $29.62. That is a gap of $20.31 every week for the same protein. In practice you mix sources: the planner computes the cheapest mix for your exact target and calorie cap, live from the same dataset.
Budget says one, calories say the other
Vital wheat gluten costs $0.013 per gram of protein against $0.042, so it saves $20.31 a week at a 100 g/day target. Canned tuna (in water) answers a different question: 22.4 g of protein per 100 kcal against 20.3 g, which is what matters once calories, not dollars, are the thing you run out of first.
Compare against other foods
- Canned tuna (in water) vs Oats (dry)Vital wheat gluten vs Oats (dry)
- Canned tuna (in water) vs Peanut butterVital wheat gluten vs Peanut butter
- Canned tuna (in water) vs Lentils (cooked)Vital wheat gluten vs Lentils (cooked)
- Canned tuna (in water) vs Tofu (firm)Vital wheat gluten vs Tofu (firm)
- Canned tuna (in water) vs Black beans (cooked)Vital wheat gluten vs Black beans (cooked)
- Canned tuna (in water) vs Whey protein (1 scoop)Vital wheat gluten vs Whey protein (1 scoop)
- Canned tuna (in water) vs Greek yogurt (nonfat)Vital wheat gluten vs Greek yogurt (nonfat)
- Canned tuna (in water) vs Eggs (~2 large)Vital wheat gluten vs Eggs (~2 large)
- Canned tuna (in water) vs Chicken breast (raw)Vital wheat gluten vs Chicken breast (raw)
Frequently asked
- Which is cheaper for protein, canned tuna (in water) or vital wheat gluten?
- Vital wheat gluten, at $0.013 per gram of protein against $0.042 for canned tuna (in water) (July 2026 US grocery prices). A 30 g protein serving costs $0.40 vs $1.27.
- Which has more protein per calorie, canned tuna (in water) or vital wheat gluten?
- Canned tuna (in water), with 22.4 g protein per 100 kcal against 20.3 g for vital wheat gluten, 1.1x leaner. That matters when you are cutting and calories are the binding constraint.
- Which should I buy, canned tuna (in water) or vital wheat gluten?
- Depends on your constraint. On a tight budget with room in your calories, vital wheat gluten is cheaper per gram of protein. On a calorie-capped cut, canned tuna (in water) gives you 1.1x more protein per calorie and is usually worth its $0.042/g price.
Prices are representative US grocery prices as of July 2026; your store will differ. Educational content, not medical or dietary advice. Dataset: free download, CC-BY.